In this year’s MLB First-Year Player Draft, two players with local diocesan ties were selected and now have a chance to live out their baseball dreams.

The Colorado Rockies drafted St. John’s University, Jamaica, red-shirt senior pitcher James Lomangino in the 18th round, 533rd overall.

Lomangino earned first team ALL-BIG EAST honors this past season after finishing 6-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 starts for the Red Storm.

In the 38th round, the Atlanta Braves chose J.J. Franco, son of longtime New York Mets relief pitcher John Franco, a former parishioner at Most Precious Blood, Bath Beach.

The Mets had selected J.J. in 2010, but he chose to play baseball in college at Brown University, Providence, R.I., instead.